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[VulcanRaven]

Kotaku made a great article recently about Mafia III and how it was made. They spoke to people familiar with Hangar 13. It is really interesting and tells how some things went wrong. The article is called How The Makers Of Mafia III Lost Their Way:

https://kotaku.com/how-the-makers-of-mafia-iii-lost-their-way-1825242177

I recommend reading it. Its really good. It also mentions that they could have started working on Mafia IV but they chose a new project instead:

At first, the plan was to make Mafia IV, set in Vegas during the 1970s. It was an enthralling vision—a video game take on Martin Scorsese’s Casino, set in the glitz and glamor of mob-controlled Sin City. It’s easy to imagine what that might have looked like: fighting enemies on the strip, managing your own casino, putting your character’s name in lights.

Plans for a fourth Mafia didn’t last long. At one point, as two sources recalled, Blackman flew to New York City to meet with Take-Two and 2K higher-ups. He then told the staff of Hangar 13 that he’d been given a choice: They could either develop Mafia IV or start something completely unique, a new intellectual property. He said he’d picked the latter. “The way it was pitched in the big all-hands meeting was: Mafia IV was a great thing, it’s exciting,” said one person who was there. “But we’ve always wanted to do our own IP.”

This new IP would become Rhapsody, a game about subterfuge in 1980s Berlin. You’d play as a Russian Jew whose parents had been murdered in a Soviet labor camp. He’d be rescued by Americans, then recruited to join a spy organization called Rhapsody. “It was hitting a lot of the beats we were good at,” said one person on the project. Like Mafia III, this game would put you in the shoes of someone who was treated as subhuman by the people around him and thought largely in terms of vengeance. “He’s doing missions, trying to save the world and get revenge on whoever killed his parents, trying to decide between the personal good and the public good.”

What you guys thing about this? I hope it still happens at some point because I like the series. A Mafia game set in the 80s like Vice City could be great but at the same time I would like the series to go back to 30s/40s. Mafia III isn't as good as Mafia II but I still enjoyed playing it. The 1960s New Orleans setting and the soundtrack were awesome. I still haven't finished the story though.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

For every CD Projekt RED, there's a dozen companies like Hangar 13. It's unfortunate, but that's the cost of AAA.

I just started Mafia III last week. I played through the prologue. Outstanding so far. I've never played any other Mafia, but I can tell they were aiming for a GTA feeling, and they were successful from what I have seen.

 

[klosos]

Well the new iP " Rhapsody" does sound interesting , However the issue i have with Mafia 3 isn't story or characters . the problem was boring game play loop of go to a area , take down the boss claim the area so on so on. if the new IP follows that same game play loop then i have lost interest in it all ready.

 

[AnimalFather]

can we stop pretending mafia 3 was a good game?

and their new game sounds generic as hell.

 

[A.Romero]

can we stop pretending mafia 3 was a good game?

and their new game sounds generic as hell.

I just started playing it recently. I feel the game is is not bad. The story is way better than the average, the same for acting.

It's a bit repetitive and the combat mechanics are not great but it can be enjoyable.

I'd give it a 7/10, try for cheap.

I would probably play 4 as well after picking it up at a sale.

 

[Horns]

Aside from the repetition and the bugs, the game was fantastic. I was very impressed with what they put out there. It's a shame because it they build the next Mafia off of M3, it probably would have been great.

 

[TheShadowLord]

hangar 13 is working on a new ip
monkeys paw effect: it some sort of multiplayer online game like overwatch or PUBG

 

[FrankCaron]

Honestly, I feel like it would be better for everyone involved if Take-Two just took the Mafia team and put them on single-player episodic / period piece DLC for GTA (V, etc.) and Red Dead (R2, etc.).

Imagine their quality story-telling with the mechanical superiority of Rockstar's games. I could see that being far more profitable in the long run for all parties.

 

[VulcanRaven]

Aside from the repetition and the bugs, the game was fantastic. I was very impressed with what they put out there. It's a shame because it they build the next Mafia off of M3, it probably would have been great.

It was a good game but the next one should be more like Mafia II in my opinion. It was more story driven. In that game you always had something to do in the story. I think 2K should remaster it for current consoles.

Mafia III should have had a great main menu theme like the first two games:

 

[iorek21]

Mafia IV will eventually be released

Still, better to have a new IP

 

[KonradLaw]

Sad to see people getting fired, but it's likely better for the series. Hangar 13 had no clue what made the previous Mafias unique and just pushed the IP towards generic sandbox.

 

[138]

On my second playthrough now, and it definitely feels more repetitive than it did the first time around. But nothing beats driving around to that awesome soundtrack. Love it.

 

[mushy tailspin]

Which mafia was on the Wii? Beating people up and tossing them around was amazing. I dunno about the rest of the game I just did that for a couple hours

 

[Valdega]

Honestly, I feel like it would be better for everyone involved if Take-Two just took the Mafia team and put them on single-player episodic / period piece DLC for GTA (V, etc.) and Red Dead (R2, etc.).

Imagine their quality story-telling with the mechanical superiority of Rockstar's games. I could see that being far more profitable in the long run for all parties.

Eh, I don't consider GTA games to be "mechanically superior" to anything. Clunky shooting? Check. Half-assed stealth? Check. Unresponsive, animation-driven traversal? Check. Mechanically, Mafia 3 was better than every GTA game ever made. Rockstar's strength doesn't come from mechanics. It comes from narrative. They're good at wrapping every mission with narrative, making what would otherwise be formulaic and tedious missions feel unique and compelling. Witcher 3 did the same thing. Mafia 3 didn't. In terms of level design and core gameplay mechanics, Mafia 3 is actually really solid. They just forgot to add the narrative wrapper to most of the missions.

 

[Soul of Cinder]

I've never played any other Mafia

Mafia 2. Please please no matter what you think of 3 good or bad go and give Mafia 2 a shot, it will probably be on sale in the steam summer sale.

 

[VulcanRaven]

Which mafia was on the Wii? Beating people up and tossing them around was amazing. I dunno about the rest of the game I just did that for a couple hours

There was no Mafia on Wii so you are probably thinking about The Godfather game. I really liked the combat in those games. You could grab enemies and hit them by using the analog sticks. I wish some other game would take the idea and make it even better.

 

[Kenpachii]

Loved Mafia 1, couldn't care much for mafia 2 and mafia 3 was just straight up garbage that tried to ty in on the political climate that completely alienated what made mafia so great. It was doomed to fail.

I would love to see a remake of the first one with todays graphics with some extra content.

 

[Dr. Doak]

Good, Mafia III was awful and an insult to this franchise.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

Eh, I don't consider GTA games to be "mechanically superior" to anything. Clunky shooting? Check. Half-assed stealth? Check. Unresponsive, animation-driven traversal? Check. Mechanically, Mafia 3 was better than every GTA game ever made. Rockstar's strength doesn't come from mechanics. It comes from narrative. They're good at wrapping every mission with narrative, making what would otherwise be formulaic and tedious missions feel unique and compelling. Witcher 3 did the same thing. Mafia 3 didn't. In terms of level design and core gameplay mechanics, Mafia 3 is actually really solid. They just forgot to add the narrative wrapper to most of the missions.

Saint's Row is even better than GTA in terms of gameplay.

Narrative was interesting in the first game, but then they went full nonsense.

 

[wipeout364]

can we stop pretending mafia 3 was a good game?

and their new game sounds generic as hell.

Is this a sarcastic post how does that game description sound generic as hell: A Jewish protagonist spy in 1980’s Berlin dealing with anti Semitic issues and the Cold War. Let me know where you are getting your games because I haven’t seen much like that.

And I thought Mafia 3 while repetitive was great with excellent characters and good mechanics. Lincoln Clay was a character that I initially expected to not like based on him not being Italian in a Mafia game but he was excellent. I thought Mafia 3 was a better game then Mafia 2.

 

[MrDwels]

Mafia 3 was one of those games I really had to put some effort into playing. There were some fantastic set-piece moments (Gambling Ferryboat, Amusement Park) but a lot of those were dragged down by a subpar open world and a lot of repetition. I feel like they could have trimmed the fat a little bit or even made some of the grind optional, which they touch on in the article. There was a pretty solid story in the game, just getting to it was a bit too difficult.

I hope Hangar 13 gets a better chance on their next project, or at least some of the talent gets some better projects.

 

[mushy tailspin]

There was no Mafia on Wii so you are probably thinking about The Godfather game. I really liked the combat in those games. You could grab enemies and hit them by using the analog sticks. I wish some other game would take the idea and make it even better.

Oh that's right! In the Wii version you used the wiim9te and nunchuck to beat them up and throw them realistically

 

[Phoenix RISING]

Mafia 2. Please please no matter what you think of 3 good or bad go and give Mafia 2 a shot, it will probably be on sale in the steam summer sale.

What attracted me to Mafia III was the protagonist. Looked like they were going in a different direction than standard Italian mobster trope.

They did. Mostly.

Mafia III is a good, not great game. After finishing it, I don't understand anyone who thinks it's bad. Now overrated? Sure.

 

[xviper]

judging by how Mafia 3 turned out, it's better to move on

 

[Xaero Gravity]

A Casino inspired Mafia IV sounds absolutely amazing. Hopefully someone else tackles that idea.

 

[Halo0629]

I'm fine with another mafia game but the game needs a huge overhaul. Mafia 3 was so exhaustingly repetitive that It feels more like a chore than an actual game, if mafia 4 is going to be like that then most likely I won't be able to finish it again.

 

[Darklor01]

Hangar 13s issue isn’t their ability to tell a story. Whichever they do, they need work on varying game mechanics and AI.

 

[Dacon]

Mafia 3 is a mediocre game that could have been amazing with more playtesting and better design choices. The only thing holding the game back is the incredibly repetitive mission structure and lack of actual integration into the story for said missions.

A lot of missions are, go here, kill this guy. Rinse, and repeat until we get to the people that matter. No real character, story, or gameplay variation to them. Lincoln's story and the main plot are both interesting and I really like Lincoln as a character, it's a shame they couldnt make the gameplay live up to the story.

At this point I think Mafia could use a few years off, and get a overhaul in the future.

 

[Soleil rouge]

The Mafia IV concept sounds way more interesting to me, but at least they're trying something different. The 80s setting could be really cool.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...angar-13-opens-uk-studio-for-aaa-console-game

 

[Aaron Olive]

A secret rumor is going around is Take-Two is planing to reboot Bioshock with help from Hanger 13.

 

[camelCase]

For every CD Projekt RED, there's a dozen companies like Hangar 13. It's unfortunate, but that's the cost of AAA.

I just started Mafia III last week. I played through the prologue. Outstanding so far. I've never played any other Mafia, but I can tell they were aiming for a GTA feeling, and they were successful from what I have seen.

You liked it? For some reason I couldn't let myself enjoy M3. I ought to install it again. Although maybe playing it pc was part of my problem. Ugh, you have me so Curious now.

It's good they're not doing M4 I mean the game was not exactly the belle of the ball in any sense.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

You liked it? For some reason I couldn't let myself enjoy M3. I ought to install it again. Although maybe playing it pc was part of my problem. Ugh, you have me so Curious now.

It's good they're not doing M4 I mean the game was not exactly the belle of the ball in any sense.

Yeah, Vito is such a BOSS that I wanted to give him all my territory, but I needed to keep all of my underbosses happy.

The game does drag sometimes. Some of the mission loops are filler. The game really shines when you take on the Southern Union or sex rackets.

 

[camelCase]

Yeah, Vito is such a BOSS that I wanted to give him all my territory, but I needed to keep all of my underbosses happy.

The game does drag sometimes. Some of the mission loops are filler. The game really shines when you take on the Southern Union or sex rackets.

Word I think I will give it another shot. Honestly, I didn't get much past the tut and the subsequent part where you're making chowder or burgers or something in a diner. Any tips on what to do first?

 

[JaxBriggs]

Repetitive side missions aside, I had a lot of fun with Mafia III and thought it was a decent outing for a brand new studio. It's a shame to hear this dev aren't keen on having another go because they built themselves a solid foundation with the third game and if they made changes based on feedback then we may have been looking at something pretty damn great.

 

[Aintitcool]

Maybe they are not making MAFIA 4 because GTA6 is already planned for release? I myself only played a bit of mafia 3...but saw 2 of my friends complete the game and enjoy it. It was alright. It was more GTA than MAFIA 2 though.

 

[-MD-]

People say Mafia 3 is the bad one and Mafia 2 is the good one but I tried playing 2 a year ago and it was pretty meh, honestly. Can't imagine how boring 3 must be.

A new project is probably for the best.

 

[Mashkov]

Mafia 3 was a load of repetitive missions that could've been condensed in a 6 hour campaign. The story wasn't anything that brings wow factor, let's be honest. If Mafia IV would be like that, no thanks. Let it rest in peace. I don't have high praise for Mafia 2 either, but that was amazing compare to the latest effort.

 

[batman2million]

I really wanted to like Mafia 3. The characters and the story were well put together. But I had to drop it because of it's repetitive nature.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

Word I think I will give it another shot. Honestly, I didn't get much past the tut and the subsequent part where you're making chowder or burgers or something in a diner. Any tips on what to do first?

LoL, you didn't even finish the introduction. You go to a soup kitchen to serve the community in like, the first 15 minutes of the game or something.

 

[zeorhymer]

I really wanted to like Mafia 3. The characters and the story were well put together. But I had to drop it because of it's repetitive nature.

Exactly why I stopped playing it as well. I was burned out by the repetitive nature of missions and how there is no life in the open world. It's as if it was just a set piece to fill between point A and point B. One day I'll finish it, just to say that I did.

 

[Hendrick's]

Sounds like they should have made 3 with the idea they had for 4. Regardless, I think this studio is in trouble.

 

[TrainedRage]

After 3 im ok with this. Game was f***ing trash. Lets see what else they can do.

 

[camelCase]

LoL, you didn't even finish the introduction. You go to a soup kitchen to serve the community in like, the first 15 minutes of the game or something.

That was my entire evening, lol.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...fying-your-team-protects-you-from-blind-spots

 

[IbizaPocholo]

http://fandom.wikia.com/articles/mafia-iii-developer-working-on-new-game-series

“The project we’re working on right now is something that I think is incredibly unique, but also something that I think is going to appeal to a hell of a lot of people.”

“It’s going to be awhile before we come back and announce anything” confirms Wilson, “but when we do, I think it’s going to surprise people in a very positive way.”

 

[IbizaPocholo]

 

[M1chl]

"Mafia 3 - Berlin from canceled game Rhapsody"

 

[Deleted member 471617]

Was that hidden area in the original 2016 game or is it just the definitive edition?

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Was that hidden area in the original 2016 game or is it just the definitive edition?

definitive edition